Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-06

ness and again pleads to the jurisdiction, a
plea which have overruled Gentlemen, do
you desire to hear any further evidencem
mo, no.
aDo you then find the prisoner guilty of the
charges laid against him.'
"Yes, yes from the wagon.
Muller made further note in his book and
then went on:
Then, the prisoner having been found
guilty of high treason and attempted murder,
the only matter that remains is the question
of the punishment required to be melted out
by the law to such wicked and horrible of
fenses. Every man will give his verdict, hav-
ing duly considered if there is any way by
which, in accordance with the holy dictates
of his conscience, and with the natural
promptings to pity in his heart, he can ex-
tend mercy to the prisoner. AS commandant
and president of the court the first vote lies
with me; and | must tell you, gentlemen,
that l feel the responsibility very hearty
one in the sight of God and my country; and
| must also warn you not to be influenced or
overruled by my decision. who am, like you,
only a man, liable to err and be led away"
"Hear, hear" said the voices on the wagon,
as he paused TO note the effect of his address.
Gentlemen and burghers of the state, my
natural promptings in this case are toward
pity. The prisoner is an old man, who has
lived many years among us like ii brother
Indeed, he is a 'voortrekker' and, though an
Englishman, one of the fathers of the land.
Can we condemn such one to a bloody
grave, more especially as he has niece de-
pendent upon himf'
No, no" they cried, in answer to this skill
full touch upon the better strings in their ma
ture.
Gentlemen, those sentiments do you honor
My own heart cried hut now No, no; what
ever bis sins have been, let the old man go
| free. But then came reflection. True, the
| prisoner is old; but should not age have
Taught him wisdom! Is that which Is not to
| I've forgiven to youth to be forgiven to the
| ripe experience of many years. May man
murder and be traitor because he is oldi'
mo, certainly notT' cried the chorus on the
wagon.
Then there is the second point. He was a
| 'voortrekker and father of the land. Should
he not therefore have known better than to
| betray it into the hands of the cruel, goddess
| English For, gentlemen, though that charge
| is not laid against him, we must remember,
| as throwing light upon his general charac-
| ter, that the prisoner was one af those vile
men who betrayed the land to Shepstone Is
| it not a most cruel and unnatural thing that
| a father should sell his own child into slav-
| ery!-that father of the land should barter
away its freedom Therefore on this point,
too, does justice temper mercy"
1
lar enthusiasm, most of them having them
selves been Instrumental in bringing the an
nexation about
Thief one more thing: this man has a
niece, and it is the care of all good men to SEE
that the young should not be left destitute
and friendeSS, lest they should grow up bad
and become enemies to the well being of the
state But in this case that will not be so
for the farm will go to the girl by law; and
indeed she will be well rid of so desperate
and goddess an old man
"And now having set my reason toward
one side and the other before you and having
warned you fully TO act each man according
to his conscience, | give my vote 1t is
and in the midst of the most intense sienc,
he paused and looked at old Silas, who never
even quailetl-'-it is death
There was a little hum of conversation, anf
poor Bessie, surveying the scene through tn,
crack in the store room wall, groaned il
bitterness and despair of heart
Then Hans Coetzee spoke. 1t cut his bosou
III two. he said, to have to say word agains
one to whom he had for many years been a:
brother. But, then, what was he to do
The man had plotted evil against their land
the dear land that the dear Lord had giver
them, and which they and their fathers haC
on various occasions watered, and were still
continuing 10 water, with their blood. VIVA
could be fitting punishment for so blacl
hearted traitor and how would it be DOS
sible to insure the better behavior of othel
id Englshmen, unless they inflicted tina
punishment, There could, alas he but on
answer-though personally speaking, he ut
tered it with many tears, and that answe
was death.
After this there were no more speeches. bu
each man voted according to his age, upou
his name being called by the president A
first there was a little hesitation, for som
Gmong them were fond of old Silas, and loatl
to destroy him But Frank Muller has
played his game very well, and nothwith
Judgment, they knew full surely what wouI,
happen to him who gave his vote against tn
president. So they swallowed their bette
feelings with all the ease for which sucl
swallowing is noted, and one by one utteret
the fatal word.
When they had all done Frank Muller ad
dressed Slas:
Prisoner, YOU have heard the judgmen
against you ! need not now recapitulat
your crimes. You have had a fair and opel
trial by court martial, such as our law di
reefs. Have you anything TO say why sen
tence of death should not be passed upon yo
in accordance with the Judgment
Old Silas looked up with flashing eyes. an
shook back his fringe of white hair hike
lion at bay
II have nothing to say If you will d.
, murder. do it. black hearted villain that yoi
) ure, Knight point TO my gray hairs to m,
murdered servant 10 my home that took m
, ten years to build. destroyed by you!
might tell yeu how have been good cit
zen and lived peaceaby and neighborly Il
5 the land for more t.Ian twenty years-ay
and done kindness alter kindness to many O
: YOU who are going to murder me III cot
blood But will not Shoot me if you will
: and may my death lie heavy on yonr heads
5 This morning | would have said that m
country would avenge me; l cannot say tia
E now. for England has deserted ns and l hav
t no country Therefore | leave the vengeanc
5 in the hands OF God, who rever fails
/ aveuge. though sometimes he waits for Ion
= to do it, | am not afraid Of you. Shoot III
1 now if YOU like | have lost my honor, m
S home and my country; Why should not los
r my life also"
g Frank Muller fixed his cold eyes upon IL
!, old mans quiverin% face and smiled drec
i full smile OF triumph
"Prisoner, it is now my duty, in the nan
g of God and the republic, to sentence You
t be shot tomorrow at dawn, and may I'll
it Almighty forgive you your wickednesS oil
o have mercy upon your soul
f ~ II(r
tJSs 5al-,.,{
&c &c sz=51 317sss} B,4,lRe
: : SSa ,Sss|ssE2 aY1If3N$6Sa